How to Smoke Cannabis Safely
So now that your curiosity has led to you wanting to try weed for the first time, ask yourself this question – what do I know about how to smoke cannabis safely? What are the steps that I need to do to smoke weed safely?
Below are some practical tips that you can follow to ensure a great experience.
Preparing to Smoke Weed Safely
It won’t be a great experience to smoke weed for the first time only to find out you have chosen the wrong strain or, worse, landed in legal problems.
- Learn Local Laws
It’s so easy nowadays to buy cannabis. You can buy weed from your local dispensary, or if you don’t want to leave the comforts of your home, you can buy them online.
However, before you go and purchase from the first weed shop you see, it would be to your advantage to learn about your local laws regarding cannabis use.
Does your region allow recreational marijuana, just medicinal cannabis, or both? Does your city allow smoking in public areas? What is your region’s restricted areas and where to smoke weed safely? What’s your region’s legal age when it comes to cannabis?
- Choose the Strain
The right strain can make the experience great. The wrong strain, on the other hand, can completely turn you off of trying cannabis again. So if you want to know how to use cannabis safely, you have to know how to choose the right strain.
There are three major types of cannabis strains – Indica, Sativa, and Hybrids. Indica strains are known to produce complete mind and body relaxation and sedation. Sativa strains, on the other hand, produce invigorating and energizing effects.
Hybrid strains are, simply put, a crossbreed between Indica and Sativa plants. Their effects depend on their dominant gene.
- Get Weed
Many beginners to cannabis ask this common question – “how can I safely get cannabis?”
There are many dispensaries nowadays that offer a variety of cannabis strains, paraphernalia, accessories, and related products such as oils, concentrates, tinctures, capsules, topicals, and edibles. But the problem is not all of them are licensed to sell cannabis products. In fact, some of them even offer low-quality ones.
For this reason, only buy from trusted and licensed weed providers. Read the reviews, comments, and feedback left by their customers so you can get an idea of the store, their customer service, and the products that they are offering. You should also ask questions about their products.
Doing these can help you buy cannabis safely.
- Choose Dose
One of the best tips on how to safely consume cannabis is to choose your dose properly. This is especially important if you are new to cannabis.
Controlling the dosage of edibles, oils, tinctures, and concentrates is quite simple, really. You can easily see its CBD and/or THC content on the product’s label and choose the one that you need.
Smoking and vaporizing cannabis are different. It’s a bit harder to control their dosage. But what you can do though is to take one small puff at first and wait for their effects.
The rule of thumb in consuming cannabis for beginners is to start low and go slow. Simply adjust accordingly, depending on your reaction to it.
- Prepare to Get High
The best way to prepare to get high is to know what to expect in the first place. So read up on the effects of the different types of cannabis. Learn more about their side effects and what to do in case you developed some adverse reactions. It would also be to your benefit to ask people you trust on what it feels to be high.
You also have to understand though that we all react differently to cannabis. So your experience may not necessarily be the same as your friend’s.
But knowing all these can help prepare you for a great experience.
How to Use Cannabis Safely and Smoking Methods for Beginners
There are different ways to smoke marijuana, and knowing their differences can help you learn how to smoke weed safely.
- Pipe
Hand pipes are very popular among users nowadays. Not only are they convenient to use, but they are relatively small and easy to carry. Cannabis connoisseurs also love pipes for their simplicity and ease of use.
Water pipes, on the other hand, are large and bulky. The water in the pipe acts as a sort of filter and coolant for the smoke. Some say that the water filters out the harmful byproducts produced when cannabis is burned.
In this method, cannabis is heated (burned) and the smoke gets trapped in the pipe. You will then have to inhale the smoke.
- Vaporizer
A safer alternative to smoking cannabis or using pipes, vaporizers are preferred by many health conscious cannabis users. It doesn’t produce as many harmful byproducts as smoking cannabis does during combustion.
This method makes use of cannabis vape oils. You have to place a few drops in the vaporizer which will then be heated by a coil. The steady heat vaporizes the liquid and releases its THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids.
One downside to vaporizers though is that it takes away some of the flavors and aromas of the strain. But its advantage is that it reduces the health risks associated with smoking weed.
- Rolling Joint
Rolling a joint is a popular method of consuming cannabis. This makes use of a light, oftentimes translucent paper. At one end of the joint is a crutch which acts as a filter and a stabilizer of the joint as you roll it. It also acts as a protection for your fingertips so you don’t burn them when smoking marijuana.
The types of paper used for joints include hemp paper as well as rice paper. Some also use bamboo paper.
The best thing about rolling a joint is that it is sort of meditative. The way you prepare and roll the joint sometimes produces a calming effect.
- Rolling Blunt
Blunts are similar to joints. With a crutch or filter at one end, the ground buds or flowers are placed inside the paper and rolled. The only difference between the two is that blunts make use of cigar paper.
If joint papers are light and translucent, cigar papers are heavier and brown in color. Cigar papers are also made from tobacco plant, so it has some nicotine content in it.
Some users also prefer spliffs. Simply put, spliffs are made by combining one part cannabis and one part tobacco. They are then rolled in the joint paper or cigar paper.
- Bowl
Some users prefer using a bowl simply because they are smoking only the cannabis and not the paper that comes with joints, blunts, and spliffs. Some also say that bowls provide the best highs since you’re consuming more THC.
Another reason why bowls are popular is that you get less carbon monoxide, which is produced when you burn paper.
In this method, you have to grind the buds and pack them into the bowl. Simply light the cannabis up and inhale.
Of note, make sure that you cover the carb when you inhale. The carb is a little hole on the side of the bowl that allows you to control the flow of air through the pipe.
Tips for Beginners Who Want to Know How to Smoke Weed Safely
Now you’re ready for your first smoke. But before you indulge in cannabis, here are some tips to follow.
- Smoke with People You Trust
It’s important that you surround yourself with people you trust the first time you smoke cannabis. Remember that cannabis produces psychoactive effects and can trigger anxiety and paranoia. It can also impair your judgment and reasoning ability.
Should you develop these side effects, you will want to be around people you trust. They can help you get through the side effects and prevent you from doing stupid things.
It would also help you if you smoke your first cannabis in a comfortable place. A comfortable bed or couch will come in handy if you feel like you need to rest for a while.
- Prepare for the Munchies
Cannabis is known to produce the munchies and make you really crave for food even though you have just had your lunch or dinner. For this reason, you have to prepare for the munchies when it hits you.
So stock up on some snacks and plenty of water. Make sure to place them in an easily accessible place. You will definitely need them when the munchies hit. You do not want to be out of food when you start craving for something to eat.
Food and plenty of water can also help reduce some of the side effects associated with smoking cannabis.
- Use at Your Own Leisure
Cannabis, whether it’s Indica, Sativa, or Hybrid, is best consumed when you have no pressing matters or activities to attend to. If you’re going to use an Indica strain, for example, then use it at night. The relaxing and sedating effects can definitely make you so sleepy you will want to do nothing but crawl into bed and sleep.
Do not drive or attempt to operate heavy machinery. Remember that cannabis can impair your reflexes and reduce your reaction time.
If you want to know how to safely smoke weed in an apartment and avoid legal problems, then always ask your landlord. Some landlords allow the use of cannabis on their premises, while others don’t.
- Don’t mix with alcohol and other drugs
For those that ask “what can I safely smoke with weed?” the answer is fairly simple. Do not mix cannabis with alcohol and other drugs. Mixing these can have a negative effect on the body. Some drugs amplify the psychoactive effects of cannabis, making the experience unpleasant. Other drugs counteract the effects of cannabis, which can lead you to increasing your cannabis dose.
Also, do not smoke cannabis if you’re pregnant or have kids at home. Cannabis has a negative impact on the developing brain and can cause changes in the brain structures. These can produce long-term consequences such as reduced IQ.
- Know How to Control Side Effects
Smoking cannabis does have some side effects. It can cause extreme dryness of the mouth as well as the eyes, and it can also trigger an anxiety attack. It’s even known to increase paranoia.
Should this happen to you, know that these symptoms typically go away once the effects of cannabis wear off.
Eating as well as drinking plenty of fluids can help control some of the side effects. You can also rest for a while or simply sleep it off. But whatever you do, do not panic. Always remember that these side effects will go away after some time.
Final Thoughts
If you’re a beginner to cannabis, how often can you smoke weed safely will depend on you. But the key to safe cannabis consumption is to always start low and go slow. The tips mentioned above can also help you learn how to smoke weed the safe way.
